You have just been hired as a financial analyst for Lydex Company, a manufacturer of safety helmets. Your boss has asked you to perform a comprehensive analysis of the company's financial statements, including comparing Lydex's performance to its major competitors. The company's financial statements for the last two years are as follows: Lydex Company Comparative Balance Sheet This Year Last Year Assets Current assets: Cash Marketable securities Accounts receivable, net Inventory Prepaid expenses Total current assets Plant and equipment, net Total assets Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity Liabilities: Current liabilities Note payable, 10% Total liabilities Stockholders' equity: Common stock, $75 par value Retained earnings $ 900,000 2,460,000 3,540,000 250,000 7,150,000 9,400,000 $ 1,140,000 300,000 1,560,000 2,400,000 190,000 5,590,000 8,990,000 $ 16,550,000 $ 14,580,000 $ 3,950,000 3,620,000 7,570,000 7,500,000 1,480,000 $ 2,860,000 3,020,000 5,880,000 7,500,000 1,200,000 8,700,000 Total stockholders' equity 8,980,000 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 16,550,000 Lydex Company $ 14,580,000 Comparative Income Statement and Reconciliation Sales (all on account) Cost of goods sold Gross margin Selling and administrative expenses Net operating income Interest expense Net income before taxes Income taxes (30%) Net income This Year $ 15,800,000 12,640,000 3,160,000 1,998,000 Last Year $ 12,980,000 9,735,000 3,245,000 1,580,000 1,162,000 1,665,000 362,000 302,000 800,000 1,363,000 240,000 408,900 560,000 954,100 280,000 477,050 280,000 477,050 1,200,000 722,950 $ 1,200,000 Common dividends Net income retained Beginning retained earnings Ending retained earnings $ 1,480,000 To begin your assignment you gather the following financial data and ratios that are typical of companies in Lydex Company's industry: Current ratio Acid-test ratio 2.3 1.0 Average collection period 40 days Average sale period 60 days Return on assets 8.6% Debt-to-equity ratio 0.7 Times interest earned ratio Price-earnings ratio 5.9 10 Required: 1. You decide first to assess the company's performance in terms of debt management and profitability. Compute the following for both this year and last year: (Round your "Percentage" answers to 1 decimal place and other answers to 2 decimal places.) a. The times interest earned ratio. b. The debt-to-equity ratio. c. The gross margin percentage. d. The return on total assets. (Total assets at the beginning of last year were $13,010,000.) e. The return on equity. (Stockholders' equity at the beginning of last year totaled $8,222,950. There has been no change in common stock over the last two years.) f. Is the company's financial leverage positive or negative? a. The times interest earned ratio This Year Last Year b. The debt-to-equity ratio c. The gross margin percentage d. The return on total assets e. The return on equity % % % % % % f. Is the company's financial leverage positive or negative?